A Fox and a Hound
Bright colored leaves fluttered down from the surrounding trees. It was a chilly morning in October. Luckily, fourteen year-old Keshin had come prepared. Since he was wearing the bright blue hoodie his mother had gifted him on his last birthday he was one-hundred percent sure the cold jaws of the freezing winds could ever penetrate his defenses. Keshin was on his way to to take place in the Chūnin Exams that would be starting today. Normally he would have been required to register with a team, however, since he was the best Genin that had currently (Not to mention one of the only), he was allowed to go alone. As he came over a hill Konoha came into view. "THERE IT IS!" He yelled encouragingly to himself. "Nothing can go wrong now! I've got my wallet...oh..." As Keshin reached into his back pocket he realized his wallet was missing. "No problem, I'm bound to meet someone nice enough to let me stay with them." Returning to his optimistic, self-uplifting pep-talk he continued. "The weather's nice." He added just before hearing a rumble in the distance. Then as quick as a flash, the skies darkened and it began pouring down rain. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" Keshin whined as he took off at full speed. It wasn't far before he would reach the village gates. Just a little more... Panting, Keshin stopped in front of the open gates. "Here! Here! I have written permission to enter! I'm here for the Chūnin Exams!" He said hurriedly while showing the guards his pass. Once they examined it he was allowed to enter. "Now to find shelter." He said to himself as he bolted through the massive village. "And WHEW! THIS. PLACE. IS. SO. HUUUUUUUUUGE!" Keshin had never been in such a big village before. If this place was really this big why was it called a village? Where was all the fire if it was in the ? The had lots of frost...so why wasn't there any fire? Too many questions were running through Keshin's brain as he finally found somewhere he could stop and sit until he got directions to the location of the Chūnin Exams. Keshin then sat down on the conveniently placed bench that just so happened to be under a sort of aluminum roof; waiting for the rain to cease. ---- “Miss Alpha.” Thick brown hair fanned as the one spoken to turned to face the speaker: a russet canine with brindle spotting along his tail-end. Kusari narrowed her eyes, only a handful of shades darker than her hair, the red in her sclera more obvious than ever. “Just alpha,” Kusari warned, her voice meek and vacant of what used to music against the wind. Seigyoku lowered his head. “Apology, Alpha,” he said. His speech, though greater than most canines of the Inuzuka clan, was still limited. “Where bitch boys and Alpha mate?” Kusari blinked, still not used to Seigyoku’s names for her teammates. After six months, most assumed she was familiar with him, but truthfully, they knew nothing of each other outside of combat. It almost saddened her. She allowed a smirk and chuckled, making Seigyoku flinch at the unfamiliar sight and sound. “They’ll be picking me up soon.” With the Chūnin Exams starting in a matter of hours, she’d need her teammates — the only ones capable of even reaching her ears when she enters her animalistic states of mind — to assist her in gaining control; especially with all the other genin that would be there. The intent to kill would be high, no doubt. Seigyoku lifted his snout in the air, sniffing. Rain. He grunted. “Such weak senses,” Kusari commented. “Apology, Alpha.” His long droopy ears perked up comically fast. “Bitch boys!” He barked, excited to see two of the three folks who made his alpha content. No tail wag or midair twists of joy. Kusari liked him calm. Just like her previous partner. Reo held a confident air about him, whipping his hair into place upon catching Kusari’s eye. She didn’t notice. She never did. Chikafusa, though modest, still had an aura of authority Kusari lacked. Reo tugged out a kunai from his pocket and twirled it on his finger. “You need not worry,” he began. His voice let all know he was just entering puberty. “It was just a kunai. Though . . . I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited to see you.” He lifted his brow as if he were sauve. “Back, bitch boy!” Seigyoku snapped, flashing yellow, drool-covered fangs. Kusari put a hand atop her partner’s head. Such a rare display of affection. Seigyoku didn’t relish the ice cold contact, instead staticing himself. Reo “tsk”d: “You should keep that mutt on a leash. You remember what happened last ti—Ow! What the hell?!” Chikafusa had smacked Reo on the back. It wasn’t intended to be a hard hit, but for such a short guy, he knew nothing about controlling his sheer force. “Sensei told us not to discuss that anymore.” The authoritative tone fell to deaf ears as Reo only allowed himself to grin wider. “You think that old pervert has any control over me? He twice the ‘bitch boy’ I am! I outta snatch Kusari up and become her alpha male. We all know she wants my kunai—Please don’t kill me!” he suddenly began to beg when he realized how uncomfortably close Kusari was. It wasn’t the nearness he wanted. He was easily in her kill range, and the way her once soulful eyes darkened with a profound hatred, he’d hit her last nerve. “H-Hey now. We’re teammates! Buddies! Friends! Partners! . . . Right?” With each word he spoke, her teeth seemed to grow sharper, far more jagged. With his last word as a question, she grinned. It wasn’t the grin she’d given her companion. No. This grin was that of a manic psychopath. Her hot breath hit his neck. “Let us battle during the Exams.” With those words came the rumble of thunder before lightning lit the sky. Then came the downpour. Though most might have found it intimidating and maybe somewhat eerie, Reo cracked a smirk. “Damn, Kusari-chan. You can summon a storm with your voice alone!” “Come,” Chikafusa said. “With the rain comes the rush of others. We ought to get there so we can meet up with our sensei.” At the mention of her sensei, Kusari’s eyes lit up, and she nodded. Dim greens eyes watched from above, chuckling to himself as he watched his minions’ uncoordinated interactions grow to that of a fully functioning squad. They couldn’t have been a more perfect team for him. Of course, they all knew he was spying; all three holding great sensory abilities that he’d never compare to. Hence their perfection when combined with his natural cheating ways. Though. . . he supposed that dog could go. It lacked the necessary abilities he most desired; it was redundant having an Inuzuka and an Inuzuka canine on the same team. His students sauntered off to make what would surely be a memorable entrance. Letting other genin know they were not to be opposed. Outsiders, he thought as his once amused expression turn vacant. To think. His perfect set up of a team could be destroyed by mere outsiders who truthfully should not have had rights to enter in the first place. But the Hokage’s word was law. He could at least respect that. ---- The three-man, one-dog squad tracked through the muddy streets. They’d been on the Land of Rain’s border several times before, so they were more than used to the rain. Seigyoku was taking surprisingly well to it, as much as he hated the stench that came from him; with such limited senses, what was in his immediate vicinity was all he could smell. Until something new, something stronger than he’d ever smelled before struck his nose. He halted instantly. “Alpha,” he spoke. Kusari stopped. “What?” “Someone close,” he said, trying to form his words correctly. “I smell.” That threw Kusari off. As she sniffed the air, Reo had already come to the conclusion: “It’s just someone for the Exams. I’ve been closing in on them all morning.” “That’s not the point,” Kusari snapped. “Then what—? Oh. . .” “Perhaps we should follow the scent,” Chikafusa suggested. “Something could be up with this person.” “Alpha mate hate outsiders,” Seigyoku growled. His lips pulled back into an ugly snarl. He stepped forward, putting distance between Kusari and her male teammates. “Back, bitch boys.” Kusari nodded when Seigyoku looked up for permission to follow the scent. Seigyoku bolted forward, spraying mud at those behind him, Kusari taking higher ground on the roofs of buildings to avoid such a mess. It took bounding over buildings for her to reach the scent Seigyoku was tracking. Her chest rumbled uncontrollably and she wondered how she could not have smelled it when Seigyoku did. The potent aroma was absolutely insanity-inducing. ---- "Hmm..." Keshin would mumble to himself as he unbound his forearms. "This place has some sweet architecture. I bet mom would love it." He glanced down to his now exposed hands and chuckled at the sight of the bruises. "I think I train too hard." He said to himself. It was at times like these when he was all alone that Keshin liked to talk to himself. It never had to be anything of importance. So long as he was entertained, it was fine. His gaze would fall to the duffel bag he had brought with him. It was sitting next to his foot; its contents strewn about the surrounding area. "Aw...damn..." He mumbled as he got up. The bandages that he had partially unwrapped were now slowly unwinding and trailing behind him. As Keshin walked around the area, picking up his belongings, more and more of the medical wrap unwound itself. By the time he was done gathering his belongings, he would have something else to worry about. "MORE?! What are you doing, Keshin?" He sighed, slapping his hand against his forehead. With another exaggerated exhale, he went about his cleaning duties once more. ---- "There, all clean." He happily stated as he scouted the area for any more of the once-loose wrappings. "Yup, definitely got it this time." Keshin happily concluded. Once more, he would return to his spot at the park bench, and reached down to grab his bag. Taking out the immensely thick roll of bandages, he would begin to wrap his arms once again. Due to the strenuous training he would undergo on a daily basis, Keshin's body was usually left quite tender and beaten up. His mother had instructed him to wrap his arms and legs with the medical wrapping she would use on patients at her clinic. If he didn't replace them daily like she said...well...it wouldn't be good for Keshin. It wasn't long before he had finished up. With a "hup" he picked himself up off of the bench and scanned the surrounding area for other shinobi. "I probably need to hurry on to the registration counter...if I can find someone to help me find it." Why did they call it a registration counter if it wasn't just a counter? Why did he have to even register anyway? The naive boy had too many questions...and no one was around to answer them. ...or at least he thought that. Suddenly, the sound of feet would be heard and Keshin spun around to see who it was. A dog stood there in front of him. One with rather droopy ears...Keshin liked dogs; droopy ears too. "Aww...a doggo. I like doggos." He cooed as he crouched down. "You seem nice, what's your-" But the dog wasn't the only one there. When Keshin's senses kicked in he would be drawn to the individual standing on the roof above him. It was a girl about his age, but way shorter. With Keshin being a youth of about six feet he was well above most of his peers in the area of height. She had large glasses and brown hair tied back in a slightly messy braid. He tilted his head a bit to the side, his icy blue eyes took her in. Running a hand through his own messy brown hair, he would smile her way. "Hiya! Is this your dog?" Keshin would ask as he gestured towards Seigyoku. "W-Would it be ok if I pet him? I like dogs...oh, I'm being rude." With a wink and a subtle smirk he put one of his hands on his hip. "My name's Keshin, Amanojaku Keshin." The boy grinned as he scratched his already hairy chin. After rubbing his goatee for a second he would bring his hand back down to his hip. "I'm from Shimogakure, as you can see." He said while pointing to the forehead protector that was positioned in a sideways fashion on his head. "What's your name?" Poor innocent Keshin didn't realize that the energy within him had become stirred due to his excitement. This was the reason the girl had tracked him here; he had a ferocious aura that could easily frighten even the most experienced of shinobi. At the sight of Kusari, however, the demonic presence faded away. All that remained was the boy. What Keshin did know was that someone else was watching. His eyes suddenly narrowed as he felt that presence he could sense from anyone...why was he able to do that? He didn't know what it was he could sense, or even why he could. It agitated him, but it was also useful. With a puff of smoke a large archaic blade would be summoned to his right hand. Despite its weight he seemed to have no trouble holding it. The presence faded... Realizing that summoning a weapon to his hand might throw off his nice-guy vibe, Keshin hurried to put the weapon on his back. "Eh, sorry...I sensed something." He laughed, not knowing that the fact he even felt the man's presence was an extraordinary feat for someone of his level. "Anyways...I'm here for the exams. Oh, I know!" Keshin said as he snapped his fingers. "We could register together if you want...uh, what's your name again?" ---- What an odd boy. Her head tilted to the side like a curious puppy would. She wasn’t even sure how to approach the situation, much less how to respond to the boy’s many questions. She sniffed. Nothing but the boy’s — Keshin’s — scent. A growl rumbled in her chest. As unreliable as Seigyoku’s sense of smell was, her nose was never wrong. Prior to the incident, she trained under the elite of her clan; they ensured she’d never lose a scent, get a scent wrong, or so much as let other shinobi conceal their scent. She was a natural born tracker, and well-taught sensor. Yet the smell was gone. She wanted nothing more than to walk away without a word, but Seigyoku hadn’t moved from his post, nose pointed and eyes locked on Keshin. It wasn’t a glare, but the way Seigyoku stared was out of caution; less likely as a threat and more so out of resisted curiosity. That had to mean something. Seigyoku was a good judge of character. “Kusari,” she said simply. Seigyoku barked. “Alpha mate hate outsiders!” That was true. Kusari knew that better than anyone; no one knew her sensei the way she did. But Kusari also knew of her sensei’s goals. For the boy have sensory abilities was curious, to say the least. He could grow to become a viable pawn if she played her cards correctly. It was a matter of saying the right things and appeasing one more male. How annoying. Kusari tugged her hand out of her pant pocket and seemingly flexed her fingers, truthfully speaking to those unseen. She jumped down from the roof, forcing her most natural-looking smile. She put a hand on Seigyoku’s head — a warning much like last time she did the same. Seigyoku’s muscles tensed, making Kusari’s false smile more legit. “Even still,” she began, turning to look up as Keshin. “He’s here for the exams. We must welcome him like our leader wishes.” Seigyoku grumbled: “Welcome, creature.” Kusari resisted the urge to smack the dog. Would Keshin judge such a casual action? She could not be too safe. Instead, she pressed her fingers into Siegyoku’s fur. He shuddered. Her smile was now real. Seigyoku stepped forward, lifting his long snout in the air, awaiting Keshin’s hands to pet away the crippling feeling Kusari’s hand left. “Name — Seigyoku,” he said. ---- The boy was oblivious to Kusari's intentions. He wasn't even concerned about the girl at the moment... "Seigyoku, eh?" Keshin mumbled, testing the name with his mouth before nodding. "A good name for a good doggo! That's very nice of you to think of...alpha...mate's feeling! Good boy!" He then squatted, one hand on the ground to keep himself balanced. "You know...you look like me and my mom's old pup. Sif was his name...he had ears just like yours." His attention was now on Kusari. As she had done moments ago, Keshin tilted his head. "And you...you're interesting. I can see it in your eyes." Getting up, he slowly walked over to her. To her, he would seem like a giant. His smiling face would look down on the small girl as he spoke. "If you pay close enough attention, you will see the same eyes in different people." He began, taking in her peculiar red irides. "In you, I see the eyes of one who seeks a place in this world." "You feel cornered, I think. You want someone to run to; somewhere to hide. Kind of like your dog here, a master, so to speak. You want to be filled with purpose. That's a good thing. But don't take it to far as to where you're willing to lose yourself to someone else. Be your own person." Laughing as he turned away, Keshin moved his hands to his pockets. "I dunno, that's just what I saw." Then, as if he actually knew where he was going, he started off down the road. "See ya, Kusari-chan." With that, he disappeared. ---- “Now there’s a sight to behold,” Reo said with a snicker. Kusari growled as she ceased her rather dog-like bath. It wasn’t her fault she’d been more influenced by canines than humans. She stood and went to bite off yet another tick, this one on her arm. The Forest of Death was hell, though she supposed it could have been worse. She could have followed Keshin’s scent; Seigyoku seemed rather fond of the boy despite the ninken’s initial snap. Luckily, Seigyoku sensed Keshin rather well, so they knew the areas to avoid. After that obscure speech Keshin gave, Kusari regretted so much as allowing Seigyoku to follow Keshin’s scent in the first place. She could only hope Keshin wouldn’t make it out of the forest. Before she could sink her teeth into the tick, a familiar calloused hand grabbed her arm in place, in warning. “Let me help,” Raizo said. Kusari’s face grew pink as she silently nodded. Raizo began to pry the tick out of her skin as he spoke: “I found nothing about the Amanojaku clan.” Dammit. “There has to be something special about him. How often do insignificant people grow powerful enough to even make it to the exams?” Raizo chuckled. “True. Though Shimogakure has fallen so far off the radar. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re doing their best to kill all kid shinobi off so they can leave the shinobi way behind them.” Kusari perked up. “So he didn’t make it?” “He did.” Kusari deflated. “He’s annoying.” “So I’ve heard.” “He talks too much.” She yelped as the tick came off. Raizo tossed the tick Reo’s way, using his free hand to force Kusari to meet his eyes. The way her face grew a darker pink offered him great amusement. “The pot calls the kettle black.” ---- Kusari was silent. Her eyes were glassy while the rest of her expression remained neutral. She zeroed in on Reo, who was currently fighting some girl from Sunagakure. The girl never stood a chance. Hell, she might not ever stand again if the unnatural twist at her knee caps were anything to go off. Her teammate’s victory made her smile. Seigyoku let out a howl as though he were a puppy and ran to Reo as the overconfident boy came up the stair. “Good, bitch boy!” Reo’s smirk fell to an ugly frown as he jabbed a finger at the canine’s nose. “Really, you damn animal?! I told you not to call me th—” “The next match up is . . . Sarutobi Chikafusa and Amanojaku Keshin,” the proctor said, wisely cutting off Reo’s upcoming rant. Only two things could shut that boy up: Kusari’s manic grin and the chance to continue studying Chikafusa’s fighting style. Kusari wasn’t sure whether to smile or growl. ---- Upon hearing his name called, Keshin's disinterested expression turned into a grin. He wasn't in the least bit entertained by the last match. "C'mon, dude." He said while walking by Reo. "There were like, four openings you could have exploited easy. Didn't your sensei teach ya anything?" Before the boy could respond, Keshin warped to a spot in the center of the arena. There, he would meet his opponent for the first time. "Sooooooooo, you're one of Kusari's friends?" He asked, getting excited. It happened again... The monstrous aura that Kusari smelled earlier the day before filled the room. A faint purple haze began to leak from the innocent-looking boy. He wore the smile of a fun-loving child, but his presence felt like that of a demon. When the exam proctor felt it, he jumped. "Er...yes, let's begin." He mumbled, unnerved by the foul aura. "Both ready?" "Begin!" As soon as Keshin heard this, his cool demeanor faded. "Alright, don't get scared, 'kay? Give me more of a challenge than those two teams from Konoha..." Summoning his sword, Keshin would leap into the air. With a spin, he hurled the blade right at his target's face. As it closed the distance between the two, Keshin would switch places with his blade through an advanced application of the same technique he used to get down there. Then, he'd activate the technique again. This time, however, he would transfer the blade from its place above the arena to Chikafusa's left side. With a sword about to pierce his shoulder, the boy would already be in a rather difficult situation. Unfortunately for him, Keshin wasn't done. Being above the boy, he extended his hand. After he weaved a set of seals with his right, a burst of red energy manifested in his left. Now, Chikafusa would not only have to dodge a blow from his left side, but he'd have to get away from Keshin above him. Both attacks were only centimeters from hitting their target, and with Keshin's unorthodox sensory prowess, he could tell the boy had not set up a substitution of any sort. Although he didn't want to hurt the boy, he also wanted to expend as little energy as possible; no reason to burn out in the preliminaries. ---- Chikafusa was unlike Reo, his Sarutobi blood granting him abilities far beyond his clanless teammate. One of those abilities was that of evasion. Despite his distaste for such a cheap tactic, he knew well enough he could not take the hits coming his way. Find out what you can. Chikafusa felt disgustingly dirty. To think his sensei would pull such a move during the preliminaries. Very well, he thought, though his thought did not reach Raizo. With a puff of chakra smoke, he disappeared. But not without leaving a stand-in. Though most shinobi required a nearby object, Chikafusa could utilize Shadow Clones, leaving one as a sort of illusion while flickering away. Despite his knowledge of the Shadow Clone Technique, he was still quite new to actually using it, so when he appeared at the far end of the arena, he’d already exhausted more chakra than most would deem necessary. The use of unnecessary chakra ended the moment a long bō staff appeared in his hand. From above, Reo chuckled. “This match is over.” Kusari would tend to agree, but with her growing claws crushing the railing, all thoughts beyond those of her past ceased to so much as exist within her. “Kusari-chan?” Reo asked, eyebrow raised when Kusari didn’t immediately agree. Seigyoku growled. “Smell again . . . Creature.” Raizo merely stared, tense as he confirmed his suspension. Chikafusa felt his teammates’ distress. His eyes darkened as he knew the source of Kusari’s resonating hatred. He hadn’t felt an intent as dark as this one since the incident. The Will of Fire burned within him. A blue flame lit at both ends of his staff. ---- Keshin's blade would clatter to the floor as it tore through the doppelganger. With a sigh, he quickly spun around. "Well, you can run...good...job?" Keshin said half-heartedly. "A for effort, though, effort ain't 'nuff, bruh." With his right hand still flickering from the potent Yang Energy, Keshin would prepare his next move. Extending his free hand, he would command his chakra to gather in the area surrounding his foe. While he hated to resort to such a crude tactic, he didn't want to waste time being fancy; not until the tournament. Making a gripping gesture with his free hand, his chakra would begin to close in on Chikafusa. Normally, when Keshin fought Jōnin ranking shinobi from bordering lands, such a tactic was futile. But since this boy most likely had no way to get rid of problematic chakra, being a regular genin and all, Keshin had no doubts his attack would work. "Stop running." He mumbled, flinging his hand up and back towards himself. If Chikafusa's body moved with his will, then it would be sent flying towards him. As soon as this happened, Keshin would then release a blast of psychokinetic force in all directions. This would result in a massive spherical shockwave - further enhanced by his Yang Cutter's lingering presence - to send the boy flying. Not only would it fling him back, but it would also cut him randomly, functioning similar in principle to a wind blade. All Keshin had to do was wait for the boy to be sent his way. ---- WIP ---- “Down.” Kusari blushed as Ōgyoku mimicked Raizo’s words within her subconscious, a menacing laugh accompanying it. She couldn’t say what was more embarrassing. The fact that her teammates were watching or the fact that the inugami within her was. She went to her knees accordingly. Raizo watched as she turned her face away from the direction her needed it. He grabbed her face and pointed it at him so she could see just what he had for her. “You know what needs to be done,” he spoke. Kusari gulped as she moved her hands to his pants zipper. She was shaking. That excited Raizo. She was nervous. She knew she’d made a mistake. Raizo wouldn’t let her back out now though. He grabbed her hair in a tight fist and forced her face closer. Though he was still clothed, the feeling of friction gave him a sense of satisfaction. Her yelp only aided. “You asked for this, so it’s only right you give your alpha what he wants.” “I-I…” Though her sense of smell was rendered useless when all she could smell was her sensei’s arousal, the moment her teammates activated the technique, she knew she was in trouble. Raizo was more annoyed than anything when he looked up. ---- "FUCKING BASTARD!!!" A blur would appear between Kusari and her sensei, forcing them apart. Now, in front of the scared and uncomfortable girl who sought shelter from this cruel treatment was the boy she had neglected and mistreated for the extent of the Chunin Exams... Keshin Amanojaku. With the wind blowing through his dark brown hair, he stared down the old pervert. Pure, unadulterated killing intent would be exuded from his body in massive quantities. His usually warm ice blue eyes were now cold with fury. "Listen, you old fucker," Keshin began, trembling with anger. "I don't give a fuck about Kusari's 'pack dynamics'...I...I don't care about what you or anyone else here wants! Kusari is not a tool to have kids; she's not a tool for your pleasure, either." "SHE IS A FUCKING HUMAN BEING!" When the boy said these words, his eyes - once blue - took on a much darker design. His sclerae were dyed black like night, and his irides became red as blood. Like the blood he was about to shed.... ---- Little surprised Raizo anymore. Yet. Keshin managed. He’s more than I thought he’d be… More like than man than he should be. Raizo laughed at the boy’s words, while Kusari pushed herself on all four limbs. Her hair frayed out as a growl left her throat. Words not belonging to the inugami spoke through the technique, easily calming her despite the interruption. As he vision cleared of red, she looked up to see just who had separated her from her duties. “Keshin?” As Raizo’s laugh came to a halt, he stood up. He couldn’t act intimidating with his height, so instead, he pulled Reo’s overly confident demeanor and passed it off as his own. “No one asked for your opinion on something you have no part of, boy.” ---- "I have every part in this...because, I protect those who can't protect themselves." Both of his hands erupted into bright blasts of red energy. Matching the shade of his eyes, it began to intensify. "Whether you think so or not," The boy said to the girl behind him. "It isn't your duty to please shit like this." He readied himself to attack before commencing his assault. "When I've cleaned house, I'll explain what I mean." Then, Keshin teleported behind Raizo. With the Konkaku reading he learned from Daitengu, he deduced his opponent's next move. And the role the other two present were playing... He was now centimeters from landing his blow. On top of that, he would employ a usage of his psychokinetic ability to restrict his foe's moves. With his right hand, he was about to pierce Raizo, while his left made a gripping gesture. This would - if successful - ground Raizo to that spot. But there was something he had to test first... ---- ”Kusari. Bone.” She had no time to acknowledge the demand, much less come to the conclusion of what Raizo wanted, her mind muddles with questioning thoughts. He two previous canines roared from within for her to protect her sensei, but it was too late. Raizo had nothing to worry about. He didn’t even need to lift a hand seal as he was forced away from his spot and replaced with one of his minions. If Kusari couldn’t even aid him, there was no point in playing around with the boy. All he needed was distance. Reo took Raizo’s spot, more than ready, more than willing, to take a hit if it meant his sensei was safe. ---- Keshin wasn't interested in Reo; he beat him in the exams. Rather than piercing the boy through, Keshin would use the boy's face as a means to propel himself forwards. Forwards towards Raizo He had closed in on his prey rather easily, - his supernatural hunting instincts granted by his nature aided in the tracking of Raizo's moves - and appeared in front of the odious man. "I'll kill you..." With a flash of his still energized hands, Keshin attempted the same attack once more. There was one more thing... ---- As he had done before, Raizo would switch places with another one of his students; Chikafusa. Raizo - who only got to the jonin position as a result of him using his team - was the first to admit he couldn't keep up with the young chunin. Keshin was far too strong, agile, and cunning for the below-average man to keep up with. Once again, Keshin would have a brief scuffle with the other boy - piercing his shoulder with his technique - before pursuing the relocated Raizo. His eyes had returned to normal, but he was still enraged at the man. Kusari, the girl he had become so close with - or at least in his mind - was almost raped by her own sensei. He was pained because, to her, her sensei was the most trustworthy of all people. But there was something else... Maybe...maybe it was because... He loved her. Kusari had acknowledged him at the Chunin Exams; she told him he was strong. Sure, he was used to that, but coming from her...it felt different. To him, she was someone worth fighting for. Worth enduring all sorts of pain for. Worth... ...dying for. Raizo had reappeared in the middle of the training field; next to the river that ran through the grassy plain. Keshin wasn't far behind, either. He hopped down from the tree he had pursued him to, both of his swords drawn. Clenching his teeth, he charged Raizo, who was brandishing a pair of kunai. When Keshin's eyes met his, he could see the concern in his opponent's eyes. With his senses, he could feel the overwhelming worry. Raizo had no one to hide behind, no ways to cheat. He was scared. The clang of metal rang through the training field. For a while, it was Keshin attacking while Raizo barely intercepted the dual-bladed assault. "I can't...keep up." Raizo thought to himself as Keshin exploited an opening. With a roar of pain, he would watch helplessly as his adversary's katana blade opened a wound on his right arm. Blood began to freely fall onto the ground. But Keshin had been reckless; he had underestimated his opponent's abilities. Much to his dismay... Raizo would seize Keshin's outstretched arm, the one he had just slashed at Raizo with. Taking hold of it with both hands, he held Keshin in place. Then, he brought his foot up, and delivered a powerful kick to the joint... "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Raizo then shifted his hands, causing the bone in the boy's elbow to poke through the skin. Along with the tear - which in appearance was similar to Kusari's Shikotsumyaku-generated bones - poured out the blood. When the boy stumbled, he would feel his foe's foot dig deep into his gut. This sent him flying into a nearby tree. Keshin - who was dealing with the excruciating pain in his arm - looked up at Raizo with defiant eyes. Yeah, he was in a hell of a lot of pain. But he thought of what Kusari would have had to go through if he hadn't intervened. If he quit now... His legs, not wanting to cooperate, were shaking. Even as he rested, he had no strength. Keshin looked to his left. Across the river was Kusari; watching the events with a terrified, traumatized look. This was something she might not recover from for a while. "The hell am I doing here?" He thought to himself. If he didn't do anything, Kusari would be raped. That was all the motivation he required. Slowly, he put out his right leg. Bending the knee a bit, he tested it before moving his left leg. Now in a squatting position, he slowly, but surely, got back up. His broken arm dangling uselessly in front of him. "Kusari, please don't be scared." He reassured himself mentally. "I'm going to save you from this...I promise." Even with his arm broken, even with his body being partially destroyed, his will was unaffected. With his strong arm, he clenched his blade. With his broken arm... He clenched his blade. ----